1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of web handling apparatus and methods of handling webs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,783 granted Jan. 8, 1974 to Paul H. Hamisch, Jr. is made of record.
It is a feature of the invention to increase the productivity of a printer by simultaneously printing transversely across a web having longitudinally extending lines of weakening, and tearing the web into web portions each having printed data, wherein the tearing is effected by passing the web portion in different paths about a guide.
It is another feature of the invention to provide improved, simple, low-cost method and apparatus for tearing a web into a plurality of web portions.
It is still another feature of the invention to provide improved method and apparatus for producing multiple rolls of custom-printed labels in an in-line arrangement using a single printer.
It is yet another feature of the invention to provide an improved simple, low-cost, easy to assemble, portable apparatus having relatively few parts for separating a wide web into a plurality of narrow webs or web portions.
It is also a feature of the invention to provide improved method and apparatus for assisting in separation of the web into web portions using a knife operative only when separation by tearing fails to occur readily.
It is another feature of the invention to provide method and apparatus in which a longitudinally extending multi-part web issuing from a source device is separated at laterally-spaced longitudinally extending lines of weakening by causing the web portion to follow different paths, wherein a knife for each adjacent pair of web portions is floatingly mounted for lateral movement so as to maintain alignment with the line of weakening in the web.
It is also a feature of the invention to provide for separation of a longitudinally extending multi-portion web at points along longitudinally extending lines of weakening by causing the web portion to follow different paths, wherein a knife received between opposed side edges of torn-apart, adjacent web portions assists in the separation. It is preferred that the knife is effective when the web portions fail to be readily torn apart, and most preferably only when the web portions fail to be readily torn apart.